Hey, Want to Learn Some Kung Fu?

Homage Shot to Bruce Lee, a Kungfu master who introduced Kungfu to Hollywood and make it known to the world.

A 10-Second Recommendation to Shaolin Soccer

If you are looking for a light-hearted comedy, you should add Shaolin Soccer to the top of your watch list.

Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong sports comedy film directed by Stephen Chow. It is fun and entertaining， combineing kung fu and soccer in a unique and exciting way. The film tells the story of a former soccer player named "Mighty Steel Leg" Sing, who assembles a team of misfits with kung fu skills to play soccer and win the $1 million prize in a national tournament. In Shaolin Soccer, Chow uses the sport of soccer as a universal metaphor for life, showing how the underdogs can rise to the top with hard work and dedication.

None of other members believed Kungfu can be applied in soccer, except Sing and the coach who witnessed Sing’s kicking skill

Funny, Absurd yet Thought-provoking.

Chow's directing style in Shaolin Soccer is characterized by humor, absurdity, and exaggerated action sequences. Under Chow’s lens, underdogs are dignified by spotlighting their unique life philosophy, such as hard work will pay offalthough, in reality, it is not usually the case and persistence can be a joke for lacking resources. In Chow’s vision, life struggles are overcomewith faith and sometimes in an absurd and seemlingly impossible way.

Shaolin Soccer demonstrates that a person with a special dream that is alienated by the mainstream is not doomed to be a failure. Nobody believed Kung Fu can be practical in real-life cases, butSing's success made people realize that Kung Fu can make life easier , like using Qing Kung to prevent falling or carch a bus, stop a car with Iron Palm, etc.

Although playing Soccer with Kung Fu can not be real, the spirit of teamwork and perseverance conveyed in Shaolin Soccer is touching.

Sing was a garbage collector before he was found by the coach. He insisted to wear a pair of worn-out sneakers throughout the films.

He took it as a reminder of his master and the philosophy- livinga simple life of Kungfu and spreading the benefit of it. To put it in practice, he must not be distracted by material things or any other worldly pleasures.

However, he changed his mind when the female lead showed up. She helped him fix the broken sneakers with lovely stickers and he was deeply touched.

Together We are Invincible

A good soccer team requires strong teamwork, but you can hardly expect any impressive synergy coming from a team of outsiders, even if they know Kung Fu. They are amateurs and all live different lives: Iron Head, a nightclub singer and dancer; Hooking Leg, a garbage collector; Iron Shirt, a parking attendant; Lightning Hands, a tailor; Light Weight, a street performer. It was not a prayer for them to be united and win the tournament.

That is exactly what makes it especially interesting and heart-stirring to witness how they were trained to collaborate and achieve success. The team is led by Lam Chung Fu, who was once a great soccer player but retired and became a coach after a serious injury. Aftermeeting Sing, he decided to join this young man who has super kicking powerand a strong sense of justice and loyalty. To defeat the strong contenders they must work hard, learn new skills, and overcome their fears.

Sing and his brother was once so poor that they had to sing and dance in a club to make living.

Poor Dubbing and Subtitles

If you are planning to watch Shaolin Soccer, I would highly recommend that you opt for the original Cantonese version instead of the English dubbing version. The Cantonese version boasts of the actors' original voices and dialogues that are in sync with their facial expressions and body language, thus contributing to a more immersive viewing experience,. Compared to that, the English dubbed version may fail to capture the essence of the original. This mismatch may lead to a loss of rehetorical meaning on screen and corresponding effects (the experience of audio, performance and other visual elements as a whole) and thus get in the way in comprehending the drama.

Iron Shirt, he would rather die than leave his gate.

Stephen Chow’s Philosophy of Pursuing Dream.

Chow once said that for his entire life, he had been playing tragic roles, although many of his audience found his performances comedic. This statement highlights the complexity of Chow's work, which often blends humor and tragedy in unexpected ways. Through his films, Chow creates a world where anything is possible, and where even the underdogs can rise to the top with hard work and perseverance.

Perseverance undoubtedly plays an important part in achieving success. How has it seem to become wrong if a character has to try so hard to be crazy but harmless, funny but serious, absurd but consistent so he can move up the social ladder? Moreover, is it a must for a person to reach financial freedom to fit in the social context? These are questions that Chow's work often touches upon, and they are ones that are worth exploring in more detail.

Sing and the coach.

In addition, it is worth mentioningt that Chow's work has had broader impact on popular culture than you might have expected. His unique blend of humor and tragedy has influenced countless filmmakers, both in Hong Kong and beyond. Furthermore, his work has helped to bring attention to the rich cultural heritage of Hong Kong cinema, which was relatively unknown in the West until the success of films like "Shaolin Soccer" and "Kung Fu Hustle." (The latter a great one,too, which you should add it to your watch list.)

Tai Ji Goalkeeper